Electric machine tools are understood from the related art which are connectable to an associated power source in an electrically conductive manner and which have an on/off switch which, after this type of electrically conductive connection is established, is switchable between an “on” position and an “off” position for switching the electric machine tool on and off. The power source may be, for example, an associated battery pack, or a power network which is connectable to the electric machine tool via an associated power plug.
To prevent the electric machine tool from automatically restarting if its switch is still in its “on” position after the electrically conductive connection is interrupted, for example due to the power plug being accidentally pulled out, the electric machine tool may have a restarting lockout. This restarting lockout is usually implemented with the aid of a monitoring unit which is used to monitor an operating voltage provided by the power source as well as a switch position of the on/off switch, and if the operating voltage is detected after an interruption of the electrically conductive connection, to prevent the electric machine tool from starting if the on/off switch is still in its “on” position.
A disadvantage of the related art is that this type of restarting lockout is continuously connected to the associated power source in an electrically conductive manner to allow detection of the operating voltage, and therefore has a corresponding power consumption even when the electric machine tool is in the idle state. In particular when a battery pack is used as the power source for the electric machine tool, this may result in creeping discharge, even total discharge, of the battery pack.